Lunar Trailblazer targets one of the most surprising discoveries of the decade: Water on the Moon. As a NASA SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) program mission selection, Lunar Trailblazer achieves critical advancements for science as a lower-budget, ride-along mission, and is in assembly and test for launch in Q4 2024.

The goal of Lunar Trailblazer is to understand the form, abundance, and distribution of water on the Moon, and the lunar water cycle. Objective 1: Determine the form, abundance, and distribution of H 2 O and OH in sunlit terrains.

The Lunar Trailblazer mission is going to the Moon to study the abundance, distribution, and form of lunar water—but what exactly is “lunar water”? When planetary scientists say that the surface of the Moon is hydrated, they don’t mean that it drinks eight glasses of water a day.

Jul 26, 2024 · Lunar Trailblazer Unveils Infographic of the Lunar Water Cycle. Created by PCC student and Lunar Trailblazer intern Sara Pooley, the infographic depicts processes that may contribute to the form and abundance of water on the lunar surface.

How does Lunar Trailblazer know where to find water on the Moon? Our team builds on the work of many lunar scientists to identify the most likely locations of lunar water. Fly to the Moon, and explore the lunar surface as seen by past missions!

Lunar Trailblazer has sophisticated mapping technology that will allow for better high-resolution spectral maps of lunar geology. The High-resolution Volatiles and Minerals Moon Mapper (HVM 3 ) will use infrared light to determine the presence and form of water on the Moon, the mineralogy of regolith and rocks, and the effects of space ...

Trailblazer Interns The Caltech-Pasadena City College (PCC) internship program to involve undergraduate students in all aspects of mission work is supported by a NASA Student Collaboration Option, a mission enhancement under the SIMPLEx program.

Lunar Trailblazer will be finished with its build and have a full flight system ready for delivery to our launch provider by summer 2023. We’ll be ready to go to the Moon! As a small spacecraft, Lunar Trailblazer cannot do a direct burn and deceleration like the Apollo spacecraft.

Lunar Trailblazer will launch as a secondary payload on Intuitive Machines 2 (IM-2), taking the next steps in understanding the origin, distribution, and nature of lunar water.

Jan 22, 2021 · As one of NASA’s Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx), Lunar Trailblazer contracted Lockheed Martin to build its spacecraft. “Two SIMPLEx missions have been added to the DSE portfolio, including the Lunar Trailblazer mission,” Ellis says.